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December 5, 2017

Incider Essentials: A Holiday Gift Guide

By: Liana Scarsella

As the old adage goes, sharing is caring, thus drinking is giving. Spread holiday cheer this year with cider as your vessel of jubilance in these gifts for the cider and beverage lover in each of us.

Photo courtesy of Alchema

HOME IS WHERE THE CIDER IS
Got the fruit and the determination, but not a clue how to make your own cider? Alchema is the go-to home cidermaking vessel, petite enough for your countertop and roomy enough to bust out 2.4 liters of the good stuff. The tech-savvy device features auto-sanitization as well as its own iOS- and Android-compatible app where you’ll find recipes, step-by-step instructions and notifications sent straight to your phone when the cider is ready, usually around one or two weeks. Available now for pre-orders, this device ships spring 2018. Patience, young cider sipper. || $500

GO-TO GROWLER
Summer sipping doesn’t get much better than 64 ounces of your favorite cider at your side. Unless of course, those 64 ounces quench your thirst by way of a handmade ceramic growler from the Portland Growler Co. Choose from a variety of aesthetic glazes and accessible handles for a growler that is personalized if you please, and portable to boot. Perfectionists get excited: the wide-mouth porcelain flip-top lid and rubber gasket combo keeps cider fresh and carbonated while protective ceramic walls prevent summer sunrays from contaminating your loot. Thirty-two-ounce size also available. || $69-149

Photo by Kevin Johnson/fluxphoto

STRAIGHT CHILLIN’
Goodbye warm cider, hello frosty cold drink of choice. The Oregon-based innovators of the Chilloozie present to you the first-ever vacuum sealed koozie, keeping your cider satisfyingly cold for up to two hours, because even the fastest cider guzzler can’t always beat the clock. The sleek stainless steel vessel comes with a built-in coaster and option to add a “super-powered ice cube” plastic Chill Pill that you can drop into the bottom of the koozie to keep things extra frosty. Pour straight into the koozie or slip in a pint glass to enjoy. || $30, $35 with glass

Photo by Picnic Time Family of Brands

TIME FOR A PICNIC
Remember how thrilled you were when someone stuck wheels on a backpack and dubbed it the roller backpack, thus commencing an era of travel convenience and jokes you’ll never live down? Well, it’s due time for a new level of grown-up tote-age and we promise it’s no joke: Picnic Time’s Adventure Wine Tote, the triple-threat cooler, backpack and picnic table that will stand out in the best way. With two stemless wine glasses, a folding acacia table, a corkscrew and a bottle stopper, the only cheesy part about this setup will be the literal cheese you serve with your freshly chilled cider. || $112 || picnictime.com

Photo courtesy of Igloo

LIGHT THE NIGHT
Some party people string twinkling lights in their backyard; others light tiki torches. And still others take things one-step further, ensuring even their cider is lit. With Igloo’s Party Bar cooler, you can be one of those cool kids, too. Featuring LiddUp LED technology, the party bar will illuminate the cooler’s goods, providing just the right transition from sunny and refreshing sippers to twilight tipples. Removable drink dividers and drink caddy keep things organized while tops are poppin’, and a built-in bottle opener and catch-cap bin ensures your patio will remain clean and bottle cap free. || $230

Photo by Weber-Stephen Products, LLC

APPLE-FIRED FEAST
While it’s satisfying to sip on cider while you grill your summertime meats, it’s even more scrumptious to add apple flavor to the main course itself. Do so by grilling with Apple Wood Chips from Weber, which are soaked and drained, with the intention to be added directly to the coals or smoker box. This apple-powered infusion works especially well with pork chops, poultry and, of course, any type of bacon-wrapped goodness. || $4

Photo by Todd Zawistowsky

SPICE IT UP
Take the barbecue from summer to fall with American Spoon’s Apple Cider Grilling Sauce, a scrumptious combo of Northern Michigan apple cider, brown sugar and spices. Handcrafted in small artisanal batches in a family-run kitchen alongside beloved fruit preserves and jellies, this condiment is the product of close relationships with Michigan growers and farmers. Brush it on your favorite fish fillet or spice up those chicken kabobs. || $11

Photo by UncommonGoods

CIDER GONE GREEN
Reap the “super food” benefits of cider vinegar with a swig of five sample-sized Fire Brew fire tonics made with organic apple cider vinegar and a variety of healing botanicals. Crafted by holistic nutritionist Valerie Roth in Portland, Oregon, each of these two-ounce vitamin-packed flavors provides unique nutritional support: immune-boosting citrus, energizing beet, power-packed super green garden, renewing hibiscus and vitalizing clove. Shoot it straight, mix it into your drink or toss with food to get a whole new perspective on cider’s feel-good vibes. || $30

Photo by Brittany Carvalho

MAKE THE CUT
Treat your guests to hors d’oeuvres this fall atop a Walnut & Apple Wood Serving Board, handcrafted by father-son duo Woododdities in upstate New York. The sturdy board features alternating strips of solid apple wood and black walnut in aesthetic neutral hues, sealed with three coats of food grade organic mineral oil for a shining finish. A slip-resistant base fitted with cork feet ensures that treats will stay put while guests snack with one hand and sip with the other. || $20-$33

Photo courtesy of Olympia Provisions

FANCYFEAST
French soirée? S’ilvous plaît! Take a staycation with Olympia Provisions’ French holiday sampler, The Connoisseur. Since a proper vacay is all about the sustenance (we might be biased), this gourmet goodie box includes four French salamis, a slab of P’tit Basque cheese, sea salt crackers, dry roasted hazelnuts and Northwest honey. Only one beverage could possibly be a match: your choice bottle of cider. Pairing and savoring are mandatory, but we’ll leave the sharing part up to you. || $135

Photo by Blue Rose Photography

LAYERS OF COOL
Our love for cider has long since surpassed the capacity of our fridge. Fortunately, those room-temp ciders can be revived via the HyperChiller. Using two layers of icy food grade stainless steel, the freezer-friendly vessel guarantees your cider will be perfectly frosty in just one minute. And don’t worry: no ice is utilized to cool off (and thus dilute) your precious elixir, because hello, that would so not be chill. || $30

Photo by Mark Mantegna

SPOONFUL OF SYRUP
By now, you’ve probably found a way to integrate cider into every meal. Carr’sApple Cider Syrup is no exception. Made using 100 percent apple cider at Carr’s Ciderhouse in Hadley, Massachusetts, this cider syrup hails from the pros. Drizzle it over waffles and parfaits or use it as a glaze on roasted veggies and meats. If you want the best of all beverage worlds, the tangy treat works wonders when mixed into your go-to cocktail. || $25

Photo by Kim Leshinski

POSTER CHILD
Tell the world — or perhaps your living room — how much you love cider with a Cider Lover Posterfrom Hail to the Ale’s Etsy shop. At 8.5 by 11 inches, this fusion of art and drink will fit snugly into your favorite space as a faithful reminder of how constantly thirsty you are for cider. If you need a bigger reminder, larger sizes are available upon request. Labeling yourself never looked so stylish. || $15

Photo by Claire Lloyd Davies

READ, SIP, REPEAT
Long before the nose began to sniff out food pairings, it found solace in a good book. Unite the three in harmony and kick back with a copy of the now legendary and award-winning Ciderland to explore southwestern British cider. The classic must-read provides all the info you’ll need on the West Country’s orchards and traditions, including detailed descriptions of every cider and cidermaker in the region. Author James Crowden is also a cidermaker, so he knows his stuff. || $25